I’ve seen many shared quotes using the name of the Buddha on Facebook and 99% spoke nothing about the Buddha’s teachings. Sometimes I would comment reminding them what the true teachings are.
Most of the Theravada monastics are kind. They seemed to accept teachings not from the Buddha. But I am not kind at all. Anything that is outside the Buddha’s teachings, I’ll never accept. I am not sure if blending into the society means one should accept the teachings even it is not from the early Buddhist texts. If that is the case, I would rather walk alone, simply because the eight worldly concerns mean nothing to me. They have no value and are just empty shells.
A while ago, someone posted a Dalai Lama photo with a quote, it says something like “if we talk less, we’ll listen more…” I am not sure if you heard about the good witch. I am probably a “good” bad person. I left a comment saying that “he, the Dalai Lama, did not listen to the Buddha”. I am more lenient to the lay people, especially the Mahayana followers. I have great empathy for them for they are being led by those who hold wrong views.
Recently, Mel’s teacher’s mother passed on. Someone told her teacher that a chanting ceremony was done for the deceased and the chanting had turned the deceased into a Buddha! My first response was “what?”. Mel’s teacher is chanting very hard for her mother to become a Buddha as well. Mel said her teacher was so sad that she didn’t want to explain to her and I told Mel that we need not to correct the Mahayana belief but we can always explain the true Buddha’s teachings. A simple Buddha’s teachings like keeping the precepts, doing good, reading a sutta(Nikayas) a day to honour her mother is good enough.
I don’t visit Theravada temples where there are statues of Bodhisattvas like GuanYin or Avalokiteshivara and others… This only tells me that the Theravada monks are not learning, let alone practising. They have no faith in the Buddha’s discourses. It turns me off straight away!
In the suttas, Buddha always mentioned that we should discuss only the Four Noble Truths but today, we often talk about everything except the Four Noble Truths. When attending Dhamma talks, the teachers should always remind the lay followers to discuss only the Four Noble Truths and nothing else. Once the Four Noble Truths are fully penetrated well, we are able to skilfully deal with our daily challenges. However, whenever I attend Dhamma talks, the lay people would often ask questions that is outside the Buddha’s teachings and the monk or nun may not provide them with the right answers. Sometimes the answers could obstruct and stop them from seeking the path.
I remember attending a retreat by a Myanmar monk. I registered for the retreat because the topic was Satipathana sutta. In the end, the discourse of the Satipathana sutta was not taught and we were only allowed to ask questions based on the Satipathana sutta. Hilarious! Yes, I am laughing again. He came again this year and I didn’t attend!
With all these happening, I have no confidence in landing myself in a monastery. Moreover, the rules that Buddha laid down when Mahaprajapati requested to go forth… Somehow it’s not right for the enlightened nuns like Ayya Khema to listen to the order of the novice monks. Something is not right here. It is a danger to listen to unenlightened novice monks. To me, these rules didn’t sound like it was coming from the Buddha. alth Buddha often said that we should support the monastics even if we find flaws in monks or nuns, if flaws come from a senior monastic, I would stop the donation immediately. However, any monks or nuns who make contribution in translating and sharing Dhamma online or books, I would give my support. After all, we are the one who should make all effort to understand the Dhamma and we should also ask questions and receive answers from a well learned and practiced monastic.
I also understand that Theravada nuns had a hard life. I would suggest making the donation platform easy and convenient for those who would like to show their support from overseas. I always believe if nuns follow the footsteps of the Buddha closely, gaining support shouldn’t be difficult. Monastics shouldn’t blame anyone when supports are not met. Blame not the monks or the lay people. For the lay people who are intended to learn will show their support only if the monastics are genuinely practising.
The Dhamma is precious only if it falls into the right hands. The conditions today are not right for me to go forth. To me, we still need Buddha to be around for discipline and this is very important to me. I have started looking into the monastic code translated by Ajahn Brahmali. It is not because I enjoy looking at the fault of the monastics, it is the discourses that I enjoy reading.
I don’t sit on high chairs or big table when I do my work. It is often on the floor with a small foldable table. It’s a simple settings. I believe many monasteries have better conditions than what I have today. Rejoice to the pure Theravada monasteries who are practising the good way, practising the straight way, practising the true way, practising the proper way..!:)
I hope one day this life time, I will never be bothered by the Mahayana belief and the immoral conducts of the monastics and this changes are already happening gradually.
My sincere wish to those who genuinely practising the true Dhamma to receive all support they need!
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